Never The Same

Chapter Two- The Train

Sighing Harry and the rest of the remaining Weasleys heading to Hogwarts went through the barrier to Platform 9 and 3/4s. It had been a tough summer for them all, Fred echoing through the house and various Weasleys breaking down at random things.

One that had stuck with Harry was when he was flicking through his new Defense textbook before the new year started in the living room, with Molly bustling around him picking up things that had been left strewn about when Harry heard her gasp, he looked up to her holding what looked like a pink toy flamingo, and all of a sudden Harry knew the reason behind her shaking hand, it was one of Fred and Georges joke wands that Harry had first been introduced to in the fourth year.

Quickly he had stood up and wrapped his arms around a shaking Mrs Weasley gently guiding her to the nearest sofa holding her while she gently cried in his arms, he had never seen Molly cry properly since Fred had first passed and at that moment an understanding was passed through them both. The war had been incredibly hard for everyone.

That's when Harry finally let the tears that had been brewing since the battle fall down his cheeks, for the fallen, all of them especially little Colin, who was just a boy. Harry thought back to see his body for the first time and his heart ached, and so he let the tears fall, holding Mrs Weasley gently rocking back and forth until he felt another pair of arms around them, George.

His eyes were red-rimmed and as Harry looked up he saw that same understanding that had passed through him and Molly, one that could only be understood through experiencing a level of grief that was unimaginable under normal circumstances.

Snapping himself back into reality he blinked, looking at the bright red train, large billows of smoke blanketing the platform. He could feel the whispers crawling over his skin,

"There he is... look! Mum the Boy Who Lived Twice!"

"Our Saviour!"

"Harry Potter! wow!"

He hated all of it, he knows he should be grateful but he feels sick, he knew some of these comments where due to his "new" appearance over the summer, He had finally invested in some clothes that actually fit him, his dark green t-shirt fitting tightly over his new muscles, hints of his abs peeping through, roughly tucked into his black skinny jeans that were hugging his legs rather flatteringly if Harry said so himself.

His clothes weren't the only things that were new about him, he had cut his hair shorter around the sides, managing to tame it only slightly, while leaving it longer on the top. His skin was more tanned and almost seemed to glow? If that was even possible. He was convinced for a few weeks that Ginny had been slipping bronzer into his moisturiser but he had checked it each time before putting it on and came up with nothing. He just decided it was down to eating healthier and exercise. You never know, it could not actually being a Horcrux that was so good for him.

It wasn't just his clothes and body people were staring at though- no, it was the full arm tattoo that he had got one day in the middle of the summer. He had left the burrow in the early hours of the morning for London. Specifically the wizard tattoo parlour. From his shoulder to mid-upper arm was a roaring lion, that you could slightly hear if you listened close enough, it would occasionally shake its head, its inked mane tickling his skin. On his forearm, he had lillies trailing down to his wrist. On the inside of his right arm was a proud stag head, for his father James and also to represent his Patronus. On the inside of his left wrist, he had the initials L.E and J.P, he wanted his mothers maiden name to remind him that she wasn't just his dad's wife but so much more- the woman who gave her life and her love to save him. He would be forever grateful to his parents even if they weren't with him today.